While farm tourism is not a new concept, it has yet to benefit many poor and landless farmers and the other agricultural workers. The Department of Tourism which adopted farm tourism as one of its main thrusts has other things to consider before it can successfully make every rice or vegetable farmers in the barrio realize the cash potential of turning their patch of paddy or eggplant gardens into showrooms.

As an enterprise, farm tourism entails a more sophisticated entrepreneurial mindset. Surely, as a former undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat knows well in 12 years of hobnobbing with traditional agribusinessmen that most of them are confined in the routine of growing crops, tending farms, harvesting and selling produce. Those with big farms with corporate buyers can very well understand how to diversify into farm tourism, but the ordinary farmer, who should capitalize on farm tourism, needs a lot of convincing and coaching to go outside his comfort zone.

One crucial part of farm tourism is marketing. Lectures and workshops on how to get visitors to the farm should be good inspiration but walking them through the mechanics of tour organizing for a substantial period of time is better.

Like rice or vegetable farming, farm tourism entails investment. Other than buying seedlings and fertilizers, renting equipment and transporting crops to the local trading outpost, arranging tours entail logistics and transportation cost. Maybe rural families should involve relatives who own vehicles to play an initial role in such venture.

Another challenge to farm tourism is safety and security. Parts of the countryside are still the hideaway of insurgents who may prey on unsuspecting travelers and kidnap them for ransom. Safeguards should be in place to protect farm tourists against rebels or bandits and usual criminals.

Farm tourism can only succeed with patronage. Without visitors, farmers cannot generate extra income during lean seasons.

Poor rural infrastructure may not be so much of an obstacle to promote it as young travelers, particularly backpackers, prefer to feel the natural surrounding for a genuine outdoor adventure. However, decent accommodation, amenities and toilet facilities should be on hand for the more discriminating tourists to make their farm tour experience more satisfying.

Low agricultural production remains a major cause of high rural poverty incidence in the Philippines. The Duterte administration wants to reduce the rate from the current 20 percent to 14 percent by the end of his term. However, the reality is there are very limited job opportunities in the countryside and cash giveaways to poor rural families are not sustainable in the long run. Farm tourism is an innovative solution to the problem for its very promising potential sans the challenges and very minimal investment requirement.

As it is, when one travels to the province and visits a remote barrio, rice farming, vegetable growing and selling, livestock raising, makeshift sari-sari stores, selling fish and meat in the market and driving tricycles or jeepneys are the usual livelihood of locals. By tapping the natural beauty and ambience of their surrounding and sharing their way of life to outsiders, the whole community benefits from the spending that goes with tourism.

Farming earns. Farm tourism sweetens the farmer’s

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